Chapter Two

Flashback: Japan.
Three Years Earlier

"I've never seen the shrine so covered in leaves."

Tenchi Masaki leant on his broom, eying the mess with a resigned sigh. "I'm sure twice as many trees have dropped their leaves this autumn. How am I supposed to keep it clear, when as soon as I turn my back it's covered again?"

"You worry too much."

The slim form of a woman flickered and materialised beside him, and he started, dropping his broom with a clatter onto the stone. He put his hands on his hips, glaring as the intruder laughed.

"Ryoko! You could help me, you know, instead of giving me a heart attack by teleporting in and out of my line of vision!"

"Tenchi, what kind of a pirate do you think sweeps up leaves?" Ryoko looked amused, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him upwards before he knew what was happening. "It's boring down here, anyway. Let's go sit somewhere where there's at least a view. Your grandfather's not here - he won't know."

"Ryoko, I have to finish my chores!" Tenchi struggled against her grip, but she just laughed, carrying him up to the roof of the shrine and setting him down with a bump on the rafters. She settled herself cross-legged at one end, eying him thoughtfully as he struggled to get his balance, eventually sitting down heavily opposite her. She grinned.

"You need to work on your landings." She said playfully. Tenchi glowered.

"And how am I supposed to get down from here?" He demanded. "Ryoko, this isn't funny! I have to keep the shrine clear of leaves and I've still my homework and God knows how many other things to do. Would it kill you to help out, just once in a while?"

The humour died out of Ryoko's expression at this, and she sighed, shaking her head slowly.

"You know, I thought that with Ayeka and Sasami dragged back to Jurai by Daddy, we'd at least have some fun now." She said pensively. "Ever since that girl left you've been sweeping leaves, cleaning the shrine, fixing this problem or doing that assignment. It's not quite what I thought it would be like, you know. We've had a thousand adventures across the Galaxy...why are you happy to settle for this?"

"This is my life." Tenchi responded with a frown. "Or it was, before you and Ayeka and all of the others came crashing down on my home. I don't mind you being here, Ryoko, but with Ayeka and Sasami gone back to Jurai, it means there's twice as much work around the house as there was before. Even Kiyone and Mihoshi did their bit. You...seem to be allergic to hard work."

Ryoko let out a gusty sigh, her hair flittering in the autumn breeze as she contemplated his words. At length she drew her brows together in a frown.

"Is that what you really want?" She asked plaintively. "For me to cook and sweep and make tea like Sasami did? After everything we've been through and done? That's what you want from me? I'm not your hired help."

She glanced at her hands, looking pensive.

"You miss Ayeka, don't you?" She asked at length. "You wish she was back here with us right now, I know you do. I can tell, Tenchi. Even when she's not here, you talk about her not being here. It's annoying and it's monotonous. The girl is gone and good riddance. We don't have to think about her and her silly planetary responsibilities."

"Ayeka and Sasami went back to Jurai because the Council there started to get twitchy about their long absence in Deep Space." Tenchi said slowly. "They didn't choose to leave Earth, but they had no choice. Yes, I miss them both, Ryoko. They were my friends and I miss them very much."

Ryoko sighed, rolling her eyes to the heavens at this.

"It figures." She said resignedly, getting to her feet and surveying the messy shrine from the end of her perch. "Princess Priss gets called back to her home planet and you can't get your mind off her. Is it too much to ask for us to spend some time together now? I'm not going to get dragged back to some planet on a moment's notice. I'm not going to be hauled across the Galaxy to take part in some joke revival of the Galaxy Police...and I'm not going to shut myself away in some pokey space station to build a machine to destroy solar systems. I'm the only one here, Tenchi. Just you and me, now. Doesn't that count for something?"

Tenchi was silent for a long while, as if digesting her words. Then he nodded his head.

"I'm glad you're here, Ryoko." He said at length. "And I'm sorry if I seem to nag. I just have so much to do these days. And it would help if you would help. That's all. We'd have more time to do other things if you did. Two of us would split the work and you don't have school to fit in between everything else. Things have changed and there aren't so many of us here to do what we can. If you're going to stay, well, we need you to help."

Ryoko looked wistful.

"Fine." She said at length. "If that's what it takes, I guess I can sweep a few leaves up off the shrine floor."

She grabbed him by the hands, but before she could lift them both back down onto the stone below, a bright gleam flickered on the horizon, catching her gaze. She paused, drawing her brows together as she tried to work out what it was she had seen, and Tenchi raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going down today?" He asked. Ryoko nodded.

"Yes." She agreed, gripping his hands tighter and teleporting them both to the ground. "There. Happy now? You're down. And I'll be right back, Tenchi."

"I thought you were going to help sweep up!" Tenchi objected. "There's a spare broom inside the shrine door - Sasami left it there before..."

"I'll be back in a minute." Ryoko cut across him. "I saw something...something on the horizon. It glinted in the sun...I want to know what it was."

"But Ryoko..."

"It won't take me a second." Ryoko shook her head, flickering into nothing before him as she teleported herself across to the other side of the mountain. Clambering carefully up onto the white peak, she glanced out across the sky in the direction she had seen the light. At first she saw nothing, but then, after a moment, she caught sight of the same thing again. A second later she became aware of another gleaming something and then there were four, all coming at speed out of the sky towards the Earth.

Ryoko frowned.

"Spaceships?" She murmured. "Oh dammit. Don't tell me Ayeka's playing hooky again! Just when I have access to Tenchi all by myself, and...wait a minute! I know that ship!"

She launched herself into the sky, her eagle eye scanning the horizon as the first of the crafts drew ahead of the others, hoving into full view as it plotted a course for landing. Ryoko bit her lip.

"Yagami?" She whispered. "But the others...Galaxy Police? It can't be! The only way they'd know where to find me is if..."

She trailed off, teleporting herself towards the place where the ship had now landed, hesitating a few metres from it's bulging red form as she made out two familiar figures descending from it. Her eyes narrowing, she clenched her fists as light flared from her fingers, tensed and ready for battle.

"Ryoko?"

The voice startled her and she swung around, seeing the cheerful, smiling face of Mihoshi staring back. She frowned, raising the ball of light energy threateningly.

"What did you come here for, Mihoshi?" She demanded. "And why did you bring your friends? Have you and Kiyone ratted me out to the Galaxy Police now?"

"Oh, Ryoko, it's so good to see you!" Mihoshi seemed oblivious of the pirate's anger, hurrying to fling her arms around the other girl. "Kiyone and I were sent here to Earth with some other police - isn't it fun? I've missed being here so much. Where is Tenchi? Is he here with you? Wow, it's so cool to see you!"

"Get off me!" Ryoko struggled against her grip, and the light flickered and died as her concentration was broken. "Why are you on Earth, Mihoshi? Tell me what's going on!"

"Well, the new Galaxy Police Headquarters sent us here to find a vicious space pirate." Mihoshi opened wide blue eyes as she surveyed her friend. "Have you seen her? She could be really dangerous you know...you and Tenchi should be careful, okay, Ryoko?"

"Ryoko, thank goodness."

Kiyone joined them at that moment, casting a glance at her partner, and then back to the confused space pirate. "Listen. I shouldn't say this to you, because it's my job to track you down...but you need to leave here now. Get Ryo Ohki, and leave the Earth as soon as possible. There are other ships behind us, ships full of new officers eager to lay hands on the infamous space pirate Ryoko. You haven't much time. We came to warn you...they mean business."

"And how, exactly, did they know to find me here?" Ryoko gave up trying to prise Mihoshi's arms off her, teleporting out of her grip instead and hovering not far from the dark haired officer. "Earth isn't the centre of the universe - most of the old Galaxy Police barely even knew the Solar System existed. Someone must have tipped them off."

Kiyone did not reply, but the glance she sent Mihoshi told Ryoko all she needed to know. Ryoko groaned.

"It figures." She said darkly.

"I'm sorry." Kiyone looked helpless. "I tried to shut her up, but you know how it is with Mihoshi."

"Are we going to go see Tenchi now?" Mihoshi asked at that moment. "It's so exciting, isn't it, Kiyone? And I didn't think we'd come to Earth again for such a long time!"

"I'll go and find Ryo Ohki." Ryoko said quietly. "Thanks for the advance warning, Kiyone. Even if it's not much to be going on with."

She launched herself into the air, flickering and disappearing as the last of the Galaxy Police spacecraft began it's descent to the terrain below. In a second she was back at the shrine, whistling as she did so.

"Ryo Ohki?" She called. "Tenchi, where is Ryo Ohki? She was here asleep under the tree before...where is she now?"

"How should I know? Probably off looking for carrots again." Tenchi frowned. "Ryoko, what's going on? You said you were going to help me, and now...?"

"The Galaxy Police are here." Ryoko sounded annoyed. "Mihoshi opened her big mouth and now they're here in their droves in search of me. I have to find Ryo Ohki and leave the Earth for a little while...before they catch up to me and cause me some serious hassle. I won't be gone long...just long enough for them to ascertain I'm not here. And then if you want to sweep leaves, well, we'll sweep leaves. But I have priorities here, Tenchi, and spending my life in a Galaxy Police prison cell is not high on the list."

"The Galaxy Police?" Tenchi stared at her, then, "To arrest you? Why?"

Ryoko tut-tutted, looking impatient.

"I'm a space pirate, Tenchi. Most wanted criminal in the galaxy, yada yada." She said with a sigh. "Did you happen to forget all of that?"

"Oh yeah." Tenchi looked sheepish. "I guess I did. I mean, you're not really a pirate any more, are you?"

Ryoko looked startled. Then she shrugged.

"If you had your way, I'd be leaf-sweeper instead." She said wryly. "Will you help me find Ryo Ohki? I don't know how much time I have before they find me and..."

"Tenchi! Oh it's so good to see you!"

Mihoshi's voice broke through the conversation and Ryoko let out a cry of frustration.

"Mihoshi, what are you doing here?" She demanded. "You'll lead them right to me!"

"I'm looking for the dangerous criminal." Mihoshi's brow furrowed in confusion. "And I wanted to see Tenchi again. Hi Tenchi! It seems like ages since I was last here!"

"It's been almost six months." Tenchi agreed. "Hi, Mihoshi. It's good to see you too."

"For the last damn time, has anyone seen Ryo Ohki?" Ryoko exclaimed, irritation bubbling in her expression. "I hate to break up the reunion but some of us need to make an escape here!"

"Well, well. The Space Pirate, Ryoko."

A fresh voice disturbed the gathering and all turned to face a man with a physical age of about forty, dark eyes staring coldly out from beneath his Galaxy Police hat. He saluted Mihoshi, who clumsily did her best to imitate him.

"Good work, Detective Mihoshi."

"Wow, thank you sir. Really?" Mishoshi's eyes became bright with pride and surprise. "Oh my, I didn't know that I was doing good work by being here! Wow, isn't it exciting, Ryoko? All these people here and they've come to see Tenchi, too. Isn't it great!"

Ryoko's fingers crackled with charges of yellow light. She ignored Mihoshi's random ramblings, fixing her gaze instead on the man who was obviously in charge.

"You want a piece of me?" She said dangerously, raising her hand as the light formed itself into a bright sabre. "Come and get me."

The Galaxy Police official flicked his fingers in a decisive gesture, and from the surrounding undergrowth a charge of officers poured into the shrine complex, each armed with identical weapons and each with their gaze fixed firmly on Ryoko. At the back of the pack was Kiyone, her weapon undrawn and a troubled look in her eyes. As Ryoko charged on the front line of the police with a yell of fury, Tenchi ducked back inside the shrine, unsure what to make of the chaos unfolding in front of him. So engrossed in her fight, Ryoko did not even notice that he was missing. Her mouth set in a grim line, she drew her blade across this weapon and that, slicing many in two and knocking their owners to the ground.

"You should think very carefully before challenging a space pirate like me so casually." She hissed. "I'm not your common and garden criminal."

"Ryoko, you are charged with multiple counts of piracy and destruction, spanning several years." The chief told her soberly. "We have been given licence to hunt and destroy in the cause of finding you and bringing you to justice. If you run from here, we will track you down. You will not leave this planet that you have found shelter on so easily...Ryo Ohki has been captured and contained, so you are without a space ship or a means to flee the Earth. If you continue to resist us, there will be further scenes of violence as we track you down. We will not give up, and we will not leave Earth without you. Give yourself up now, or have the destruction of this planet added to the charges already heavy over your head!"

Ryoko opened her mouth to retort, but as his words struck deep with her, dismay mingled with her anger and she paused, holding her blade aloft as she considered what he had told her.

"Ryo Ohki?" She murmured. "Is that why I can't find her? Hey! Is it fair to sneak up on the poor girl while she's sleeping? At least cut me some slack here. It's not a fair fight if you have space travel capabilities and I don't, you know!"

"You've heard the choice being offered." The chief drew himself up to his full height. "This is your last chance, Ryoko. Give yourself up and come peacefully with us."

"And if I don't want to do that?" Ryoko put her hands on her hips, her blade flickering out as she tried to gauge her opposition's line of thought. "You're a shadow of the Galaxy Police as they used to be before Kain wiped out your Headquarters. What makes you think your threats scare me? I've escaped your clutches before, and you know it. Do you really think you can bring me in so easily?"

"We have our orders to take you, alive or dead." The chief raised his hand, gesturing to a group of officers that stood just apart from the rest. "Arm the laser cannons. If you'd rather be dead, we can soon settle that."

"Wait a minute!"

Now Tenchi was back among them, holding up his hands. "What's going on here? What are you going to do to my Grandfather's shrine? Can't you all just settle this peacefully? There's no need for cannons, surely?"

"Silence, Earthling." The chief's gaze flitted to him and then back to the defiant Ryoko. "This is Galaxy Police business. I would advise you to leave the surrounding area. It is about to become very dangerous around here."

"But..."

"Those who protect criminal vermin like Ryoko may also suffer her fate." The chief said flatly. "Shall we take you with us as well?"

"No!"

Ryoko put up her hand, shaking her head as two of the officers began to advance on Tenchi. "No, stop it! Leave him alone. Leave him out of this! It's not his fight, it's mine. It's me you want."

"You're right, Ryoko." The chief agreed. "But shielding a space pirate is also a serious offence. He may also face charges at Headquarters."

Ryoko's eyes flickered with emotion.

"He has nothing to do with this." She said quietly, meeting Kiyone's gaze at this juncture as if urging her to keep silent. "He's just a native earthling. He doesn't know what a Space Pirate is or what I've done. Leave him alone."

"Regretfully..."

"The Galaxy Police of old had morals at the very least!" Ryoko spat out. "They didn't take innocent bystanders into custody and they didn't bring them into the line of fire! I told you, your fight is with me! Return Ryo Ohki to me and have that fight in space, away from this planet and the people who live here. This isn't their battle!"

"Your choice is to surrender to us as you are, or face the consequences for this world you hide in." The chief said solemnly. "I know better than my predecessor...Ryo Ohki is a fast vessel and one you have managed numerous escapes aboard. We won't risk it this time. You can give yourself up, or we will open fire...on you, on your boy, and on this hut you call a hiding place."

"It's a shrine." Ryoko bristled. "Not a hut. Don't you know anything? Geez, what idiot put you in charge?"

"Prepare to fire on the target." The chief turned his gaze to the waiting officers, and Ryoko bit her lip.

"All right!" She exclaimed. "Hold your fire!"

"Ryoko?" Tenchi stared at her, and she cast him a look of anguish and regret as she dropped her hands down by her sides, walking slowly towards the waiting police official.

"On these terms and these terms alone." She said softly, just loud enough for the officer to hear. "If I give myself up to you, you leave this place alone. You leave Tenchi alone. If I come with you to Galaxy Police Headquarters, then you promise to keep away from the planet Earth and it's inhabitants. You'll have what you want. Just don't bring them into a fight that isn't theirs."

"That is agreeable." The chief nodded his head.

"And one other thing." Ryoko raised her voice. "I surrender myself to the custody of Detectives Mihoshi and Kiyone only. Since Mihoshi found me, I think that's her right."

She shot Mihoshi a chilling stare at this, but that girl seemed oblivious, doing a little dance of excitement.

"Oh, how cool!" She said. "We're going to have a visitor aboard Yagami again, Kiyone! Just like the old days!"

"Detective Kiyone, take custody of the prisoner." The chief beckoned to Kiyone, who reluctantly shuffled forward. She met Ryoko's gaze, and the pirate saw regret in the depths of her companion's eyes. Wordlessly she raised her hands to the Galaxy Police Officer, not flinching as Kiyone fastened the tight silver cuffs around her wrists.

"Ryoko!" Tenchi's cry cut through her like a knife, and she bit her lip.

"Don't worry about me." She called back over her shoulder. "You know me better than that, Tenchi."

"But Ryoko..."

"Tenchi." Kiyone finished fastening the cuffs, raising her gaze to his. "We have to go. Take care of yourself, and of your father and grandfather. I'm sorry it has to be this way."

Ryoko dropped her gaze to the ground, allowing herself to be led back towards the waiting spacecrafts. Tenchi's calling still echoed behind her and she hardened her resolve, determined not to waver or show emotion towards the world she was leaving behind. She glanced at the cuffs on her wrists, knowing that whoever had designed them had planned ahead, and that they had been built to weather and subdue her particular brand of magic.

She cast a lingering look at the Earth's scenery, a lump in her throat as she realised it might be the last time she ever saw the planet she had begun to think of as 'home'. Then she turned her back on it once and for all, following Mihoshi carefully into the bay of Yagami.

"Goodbye, my Tenchi." She whispered. "One day we'll meet again, I swear it!"